Road signal



E. R. LARGE ET AL Nov. l5, 1927.

ROAD S IGNAL Filed Nov. 26 1926 .Patented Nev. 15, 1.927;

MUNITEDV- STATE [PATENT QFFICEF@ rimarra. n. LARGE .um CHARLES minnen-AN," or tratara-atoms.'

i Roan SIGNAL.

Application mednovember 26,1926. serial No. (1),879.`

The present invention relates to improvements in road signals and has for' an ob] ect to provide a road signal of thattype whlch is placed on the side of the' road in advance vof dangerous curves and-other dangerous points whereby to catch the light rays from an approaching vehicles lampsy and' to ref flect and retract such light. rays, and preferablyto color same, for instan ce, red, all with a view tov apprising the driver of the vehicle of'his approach to the dangerous point referred to. y

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved road signal of the type above set forth in which the construction is designed for compactness, simplicity and thev several views,

vFigure 1 is a front elevation partly broken away of an improved road signal constructed iny accordance with the present invention Figure 2 is' a verticalsection taken on the line 2 2 in Figure 1;

lens:

Figurell is a diagrammatic view showing the action of the light rays; and,

Figure 5 is also a diagrammatic view of the diffusion lens.

Allleferrin'g more particularly to the drawings, 6 designates a lcylindrical casing of sheetm'etal or other approppriatematerial welded or otherwise secured about the forwardly turned vcylindrical flange 7 upon the back disk wall 8. The forward portion of thecasing receives therewithin a ring 9 which may be Welded or left unsecured. This ring 9 carries the out-turned flange 10 received between the Ueshaped -end 11 of the cover fiange 12. Bolts 14 in any suitable number pass through this coverflange 12 and through the back disk 8, nuts 15 being run on the bolts and taking againstthe back -`wall 8 to hold the partsin assembled position. 1 v

Within the casing is mounted a unitv tube 16 for holding the front color panel 17, the

Figure 3 is a plan view of the diffusion intermediate diffusion Slens 18 and the rear mirror 19. -These three members are spaced apart and the edgesof the same are tted in outturned troughs or grooves 20, 21 and 22, provided by oisetting the metal ofthe tube -16 outwardly. The'tube 16 may be a'. I

seamless cylinder if desired, but possessingr sufficient elasticity to'admit of the springing Aof the same outwardlyto receive the members referred to, or the tubes may be split -and unitedv by bolts or other fastenings.

This light treating unit may be ,assembledV independently and bodily` introduced .into

the casing before thecover flange 12 is ap? plied and preferably` such unit tube is welded to the backdisk' 8.

A wire cage 23 is mounted infront of the l' device and it is preferably of a concavo-convex construction, bulging outwardlyin front ofthe color panel 17. The edge of the-- guard-23 may be secured within the cover flange 12 and the 'same may be removable with the fiange.

The mirror 19 is apolished plate mirror and the front panel 17 may be of a light plgeon-blood red and rough or smooth tex ture.

The diusion lens is composed of an intermediate body portion 24 of glass orother appropriate material, having bulbs 25A on its exterior face and complementary bulbs 26 on its interior face. By reference to Figure 3, it will be seen that the bulbs 25 and 26 are relatively offset so that a single front bulb .25 encompasses segments of four adjacent inner bulbs 26. The offset relation of the bulbs is also shown -insection in `Figures 2 and 4. ,n V. .l

The action of the device is as follows, vand is shown diagrammatically in Figures 4 and`v v The bullseye or bulb on the front surface of the diffusion lens, otherwise known as the breaker and magnifying lens, picks up the incoming rays, focusrngthem at a given point, or in other words, acting asa condenser which action magnifies the rays going through the center of the lens to opposite bulls-'eyes 26.

The -bullsseyes' 2 6 on the backl of the breaker and magnifier lens receivesthemagnified rays from the front bulbs, and-breaks and diffuses them,v causing light rays to impinge against practically the entlre vsurface oit' the mirror 19.

The mirror causes the re-f"y fracted light rays tov be thrown back at angles shown in Figures 4 and 5, ooverlng substantially the entire surface of the bull eyes 26. The diliusion'lens acts to shoot out the rays over the entire surface of the colored panel 17, thus giving a fullre'lex.

In other words, the same action takes place with the outgoing ray as that which describes the first penetration of a single or more than one beam of light comingr in.

The incoming rays pass through .the colored panel 17 first, thus striking the breaking and magnifying lens, through which they pass as heretofore described, and it is this colored panel from which our actual color is derived. there being enough distance allowed between the color panel. break-up andmagnifying lens and mirror reflector to securethe breaking-up. color, magnification and throw-back ofthe incoming beam. Such spacing or distance between the three vlens as outlined is essential and necessary in allowing space for travel 'of incoming rays from thecolor lens, through break-up and magnifying lens, to mirror refiector, which induces or brings` about such angle as is reouired Vin order to obtain rfull' reflex or light covering the entire outer'surface. The beams are thus magnified and shot back in volume, securing distance at which light can be seen. The action of thelight is limited only b v the distance at which lights are picked up; in other words, it reflects from anv distance at which an incoming beam will touch its surface. this action only being necessary to give back a full reflex covering the entire surface of the device.

It will be obvious that many changes in the construction, combination and arrangementqofmparts could be made, which could be used. withoutfdeparting .from l-.,tl[1.e spirit of my invention, vand I do. not. mean to limit the invention to such details, except as particularly pointed out in the claims.

Having thus v described my invention, what I-claim and desire .to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is 1. A road signal comprising a housing,

Y .llhfshapedfportion fitting.. about t .said '-iirst-me'ntioned rin by said ring.

a colored panel therein for initially receiving the incident light rays, a mirror in the back of the housing for reflecting back said light rays, and a diffusion lens interposed Abetween said panel and mirror and having .bulbs extending from both faces thereof for dilusingthe light rays to all parts of said mirror and panel.

2. A road signal comprising ay housing, a colored panel therein for initially receiving the light rays, a Inirror for reflecting back said colored rays, and a diffusion lens interposed `between said panel and mirror and having bullS-eyes on its front and rear faces, the bulls-eyes on the front being oilset relatively to the bulls-eyes on the back of said lens.

3. A road signal comprising a housing, a colored panel therein for initially receiving the light rays, a mirror for'reflecting back said light rays, and a diffusion lens between said panel and mirror and spaced therefrom, said lens having. convex bull eyes on .both front and-rear faces, the bull eyes on the front face being so disposed as to encompass segments of four of the bull `eyes on the rear face.

4. A road signal comprising a casing, a tube in said casing having pressed-out portions providing spaced troughs, a colored panel mounted in the front trough, a mirror mounted in the rear trough and a diffusion lens mounted in the `intermediate trough, and a cover for securing said tube in the casing.

5. A road si al com rising a c lindrical casing, a rear haviliig a forwayrd liange fitting within said casing and secured thereto, a ianged ring fitting in the forward partof the casing, a cover rin haying an e flange of means to secure said cover ring to the ack disk, a guard carried by said cover ring, and a li ht treating unit mounted in said casing an confined E. E.r LARGE. o. M.. FREEMAN. 

